Imitation

His Holiness Pope Shenouda speaks about a discussion with our Protestant brethren regarding the principle “the Holy Scripture alone” and their rejection of tradition, affirming that tradition preceded the writing of the sacred books and has an essential role in the life of God’s people.

Main Points

1. He affirms that tradition existed and was practiced before the writing of the books of the Old and New Testaments, and that people lived according to an oral transmission and inherited teaching from generation to generation.

2. He cites examples from the Old Testament (Abel’s offering, Noah’s altar, Abraham’s tithe, circumcision) to show that rituals and religious practices were known before the written law of Moses.

3. He shows that some concepts such as the priesthood and methods of worship and consecration rites were not originally written but were transmitted by tradition.

4. He explains that Jesus promised his disciples that they would teach them “all that I commanded you” — meaning there is an oral teaching and a pattern of church life transmitted without being all written.

5. He distinguishes between two kinds of tradition: the oral teaching and the living tradition that became the life of the Church and the practice of its sacraments.

6. He emphasizes that sacraments like baptism, the Eucharist, and anointing became part of the Church’s life through practice and apostolic handing down, not solely through written biblical texts.

7. He points out that even some Protestant denominations that declare rejection of tradition have inherited rites and orders they perform when choosing elders or in baptism, which indicates they too have traditions.

8. He concludes that revelation is given by God and the written word is important, but apostolic handing down and tradition are two means that complete the life of the Church and its practical teaching.

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